Grave-decorating structure



June 9, 1925. 1,541,414

c. G. GoPLlN GRAVE DECORATING STRUG'IUREl June 9, 1925. 1,541,414

C. G. GOPLIN GRAVE DECORATING. STRUCTURE l gnou/woz y@ MQ, 9%@

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Patented June 9, 1925.

UNITED STATES CLINTON G. GOPLI1`=T, OF FAR-GO, NDBTH DAKOTA.

GRAVE-DECORATING STRCTURE.

Application led enuary7 1921i. Szral No. 690,827.

To all 'whom 'it may concern."

Be it known that CLiN'roN G. Gorras', citizen of the United States,residinn at Fargo, in the county ot Cass and of North Dakota, hasinvented certain new and useful improvements in Grave-DecoratingStructures, of'whirh the following is a specihcation.V

ri'his invention relates to a grave decorating structure and has for itsobject to provide an improved device of this character by means of whichgraves may be maintained in sightiy and orderly condition over anindeiinite period of time and whereby they may be suitably decorated andthe decorations preserved from the ravages of the weather indefinitely.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in thedetailed description which follows.

ln the ac ompanying drawings:

Fig. l isa plan view ot' a structure ot the character descril'iedi withthe cover removed;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view there through Fig. 3 is aliorizontal sectional view through one corner of the structure 5' Fig. lis an enlarged vertical sectional view upon line of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on line 5--5 of Fig. l;and

Fig. G is a transverse sectional View 'upon line GWG of F 2 illustratingonly the casing and omitting the curtains and curtain roller, etc.

Like inunerals designate corresponding parts in all of the igures of thedrawings.

Referring to the drawings 5 designates the base of the structure whichis of elongated and rectangular box-like formation and which hasoutwardly extending teeth or blades 6 projecting therefrom to increasethe area upon which the foundation will rest and to thereby preventundesirable settling of the saine. This foundation or base is lneferablymade of cast iron but it may be formed of concrete or any other suitablematerial. It is channeled about its upper edge, as indicated at 8, forthe reception of the glass sides 9 and glass ends l0. A glass cover llis held in place by tie bolts l2 having` the glass knobs 13 upon theirupper ends. These tie bolts take into bosses 14 at their lower ends,said bosses being integral with the base 5. The side and end glassplates are secured to each other at their corners by metallic moldingclips le and l5 of a: usual and well known construction, the same beingpreferably formed of copper though any suitable sheet metal may beemployed. llheinner clips l5 are provided with inclined slots which openat the upper edges of said parts, said slots being indicated at 1G andserving to provide mountings for the pivot l-T of an ordinary springactuated shade roller 13 upon which a curtain 19' is wound. T hiscurtain may be dran-,fn outwardly by a wire 2O which passes through asmall openino 2l formed in onev of the end walls of the structure andwhen drawn out in the manner described the curtaincloses the top of thestructure beneath the top Vll and conreals the contents of the structurefrom view. ln addition, this curtain shades the `contents-- of thestructure from the sun and prevents them irombeing rapidly faded theaction of the-suinit being understoml that it is the intent to placewithin the :structure such suitable decorations. mementoes, and the likeas may be desirable, such, for. example, as crucitixes, flowers, eitherlartificial or naturai, artiicial grass, photographs of 'the deceased,crosses and the like. v

"lai'igers 22 of flat metal, see Fig. 5, have their upper edges bentover the glass sides of the structure, as indicated at 23, and at theirlower ends these hangers are shaped to support curtain rods or strips24. These strips carry hooks or other suitable supporting devices 26 bymeans of which curtains or drapes 27 may be supported along the innerside of the si de and end walls.

It is a well known fact that the majority oi" graves are poorly kept.The task of keeping the ordinary grave in good condition is an endlessone. Flowers and decorations placed. upon such graves and en posed tothe elements, last only a day or two and when they deteriorate theyleave the grave in a more unsightly condition than if they had not beenplaced there at all.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the presentstructure provides means whereby a grave may be suitably decorated insuch manner that the decorations will be concealed from the gaze ofmerely curious persons but may be exposed to the view of relatives andfriends when ever the cemetery is visited, by merely releasing the cordor wire 20. Furthermore, even with the curtain drawn the structure CTIpresents a very siglitly appearance, since I contemplate making thecurtains 26 ot velvet and these velvet curtains or drapes showingthrough the glass sides and ends, present a pleasing and ornamentalappearance and provide a structure which is not subject todeterioration.

It is to be understood that. the invention is not limited to the preciseconstruction se forth but that it includes within its purview whateverchanges fairly come withi either the terms or the spirit of the appendedclaims.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

l. A structure oitl the character described comprising a base, glasssides and ends, metallic hangers engaged over the upper edge of theglass sides, strips supported in said hangers and drapes supported fromsaid strips inside ot' the structure. 2. A structure as recited in claiml in combination with a spring actuated curtain roller, a curtainthereon and means ter supporting said roller in a position to have itscurtain lie in a horizontal position and beneath said top.

3. A base of elongated rectangular shape and of box-like formationlnivingl a channel formed therein about its upper edge, a glassstructure comprising side and end walls having their lower edges seatedin said channels and a glass top resting upon the side and end walls,said side and end walls being held together by metallic molding at theircorners, the inner members ot the inetallic molding at one end oi thestructure being provided with roller supporting elements, a shade rollersupported horizontally therein, a curtain on said roller adapted toextend horizontally beneath the glass top and means for actuating thecurtain from the exterior of the structure.

4. A device of the character described adapted to be placed upon andconstitute an ornament for a grave, comprising a boxlike base ofwater-proof material carrying lateral extensions adapted to aid insupportingl it upon the grave and to prevent it from sinking into theground, the upper edge of said base being channeled, glass sides and endwalls seated in the said channels, a glass top, means for binding thetop, side and end walls to each other and to the base, strips extendingalong said side walls near the top thereof, hangers by which the stripsare carried, said hangers engaging over the upper edges ot the glassside wall, hooks depending from the lower faces ot said strips, curtainssupported upon said hooks and extending below the upper edge of thebase, a horizontally movable shade located below the glass cover, aspring actuated shade roller by which said curtain is wound up and meanscontrollable from the exterior of the structure for drawing said shadeJfrom the roller against the tension of its spring` to thereby shade andconceal from view the contentsof the structure.

In testimony whereof he atiiXes his sigy nature in the presence of twowitnesses.

CLINTON G, GOPLIN.

lvitnesses FRANK I. TEMrLE, G. A. MCINTYRE.

